Furniture for storing shoes and the like



June 21, 1960 F. J. THROWER ET 2,941,659

FURNITURE FOR STORING SHOES AND THE LIKE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 9, 1958 e Y m m m M W m A K5 6 p 3 in EY a w 2 B m m F 1% hHu. 2 M w I'Vl Hl -J l m n m ML MM Z June 21, 1960 F. J. THROWER ETA!- 2,941,659

FURNITURE FOR STORING SHOES AND THE LIKE;

Filed Dec.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS FQM/K THEO/VEZ 51/2/1557 v. fl/zan/ze BY United States Patent 7 FURNITURE FOR STORING SHOES AND THE LIKE Frank J. Thrower and Elizabeth V. Thrower, both of 2312 Arunah Ave., Baltimore, Md.

Filed Dec. 9, 1958, Ser. No. 779,223

2 Claims. (Cl. 206-7) This invention relates to novel furniture constructions, and it particularly relates to furniture especially constructed for the storage of shoes and the like.

It was the general practice heretofore to store shoes, slippers or the like in boxes or cupboard shelves or similar places which were usually inconvenient or difliuclt to reach. It was often necessary to disrupt an entire cupboard in order to find the pair wanted. It was, in all events, a haphazardous and basically disorderly arrangement wihch was often at variance with an otherwise orderly and well-kept household.

It is one object of the present invention to overcome the above diflEiculties by providing an article of furniture especially adapted for the storage of shoes and the like in a neat and orderly manner and in such arrangement that the shoes can be easily and conveniently found.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an article of furniture of the aforesaid type wherein the shoes can be held in shape and be simultaneously prevented from being flung about.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an article of furniture of the aforesaid type which is capable of being fashioned in a most pleasing appearance and which can be formed to fit into a corner of a room.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide an improved article of furniture, of the character described, that is easily and economically produced, which is sturdy in construction, and which is highly eflicient in operation.

With the above and related objects in view, this invention consists in the details of construction and combinaation of parts, as will be more fully understood from the following description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a top perspective view of an article of furniture embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of one of the drawers provided in the device of Fig. l, equipped with shoe-holding trees.

Referring in greater detail to the drawings, wherein similar reference characters refer to similar parts, there is shown in Fig. 1 a piece of furniture, generally designated 10, which comprises a housing 12 of right-angular configuration wherein one of the arms of the right angle is formed by a wing 14 and the other by a wing 16.

The wings 14 and 16 are integral with each other to form an outer corner edge 18 and an inner corner edge 20. Each Wing 14 and 16 furthermore contains a vertical series of shelves 22 and 24, each consisting of a rectangular open framework attached, at its longitudinal sides, to the side of the respective housing wing 14 and 16 (as best shown in Fig. 2).

2,941,659 Patented June 21, 1960 Slidable upon each shelf 22' is a drawer 26 while slidable upon each shelf 24 is a drawer 28 The drawers 26 are substantially identical and each comprises a pair of side walls 30, a rear wall 32, a bottom wall 34 and a front wall or panel 36. A knob 38 is provided in the center of each front panel 36. The drawers 28 are similarly provided with side walls 38, a rear wall 40, a bottom wall 42 and a front wall or panel 44 having a centrally located knob 46.

A number of drawers are provided with a shoe-holding tree assembly, and such an assembly is illustrated in Fig. 4 where the drawer 48 is provided with a strip 50 connected to its bottom wall 52 by rivets or the like 54. Releasably connected to the strip 50, as by screws, rivets, bolts or the like indicated at 56, are a pair of shoe trees 58. The connections 56 are provided at upwardly-bowed portions 60 of the strip 50; these bowed portions 60 acting as stops against which press one end of a coil spring 62 surrounding the stem 64 of each shoe tree 58. The stems 64 are each telescopically received within a tubular extension 66 in slidable relation thereto. Each extension 66 is provided with a knob 70 against which the opposite end of the spring 62 presses. By this construction the extensions 66 are resiliently urged to their extended positions so that when a shoe is placed on the shoe tree, it compresses the spring 62 thereby holding the tree in tension within the shoe. This maintains the shape of the shoe. The shoes are mounted on the trees 58 by placing the shoes in the inverted position with the opening on the bottom and then inserting the trees therein in such inverted positions.

The V-shaped area formed between the wings 14 and 16 of the housing 12 provides a perfect area for the placement of triangular shelves 72 for holding all types and varieties of knick-knacks, radios, television sets, lamps, ornaments, books or whatever else is desired. Furthermore, if desired, a mirror 74 could be provided below the shelves 72 to provide a means for viewing the appearance of the shoes on the feet while being worn.

Although this invention has been described in considerable detail, such description is intended as being illustrative rather than limiting, since the invention may be variously embodied, and the scope of the invention is to be determined as claimed.

Having thus set forth and disclosed the nature of this invention, what is claimed is:

1. A shoe retaining drawer for an article of furniture, a floor in said drawer, and a resiliently-extensible shoe tree assembly, said shoe tree assembly comprising a shoe cap supporting tree and a shoe counter holding knob, stems extending from said tree and said knob, one of said stems being hollow and telescopically receiving the other of said stems therewithin, a coil spring extending about said hollow stem and biased at one end against its shoe part supporting element, a bowed strip extending about said other stem and secured to said floor securing said shoe tree assembly to said floor, said bowed strip providing a stop means against which the other end of said coil spring is biased.

2. In a shoe retaining drawer having a floor, a resiliently-extensible shoe tree assembly, said shoe tree assembly comprising a shoe cap supporting tree and a shoe counter holding knob, a stem extending from said. shoe cap receiving tree, a bowed strip extending about said stem and secured to the floor securing said stem rigidly thereto, a hollow stem extending from said counter receiving knob, said hollow knob stem telescopically extending over said cap stem, and a coil spring about said telescoped 3 stems biased at one end against said knob and at its other 1,764,229 end against said tree stem securing bowed strip. 1,950,242 2,317,516 References Cited in the file of this patent 2,550,539 UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 2,658,810

156,201 Barnes Oct. 27, 1874 164,152 Davies -'Z June 8, 1875 333,058 191,893 809,938

Stewart June 12, 1877 KMW 

